US President Donald Trump has waded back into the racially charged monument debate on Twitter, saying America is "being ripped apart."

Trump hit out at the removal of monuments in a series of tweets this afternoon.

He said: "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can't change history, but you can learn from it. Robert E Lee, Stonewall Jackson - who's next, Washington, Jefferson? So foolish..."

The president further added: "...the beauty that is being taken out of our cities, towns and parks will be greatly missed and never able to be comparably replaced!"

Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You.....

His comments follow riots in Charlottesville on Saturday which were sparked by the town's decision to remove a statue of General Robert E. Lee, who was general commander of the Confederate Army in northern Virginia.

Heather Heyer (32) was killed when a car allegedly driven by a reported white nationalist plowed into a crowd following hours of unrest between white supremacists and counterprotesters. Heyer was there to oppose the rally.

America has around 700 statues and monuments of figures who fought against Abraham Lincoln's forces in the Civil War, with the aim of preserving a southern state where slavery was maintained.

A number of these statues were removed following protests and placed in museums.

President Trump has been widely criticised for his response to the Charlottesville protests after he placed "blame on both sides." He claimed many of those who marched were not white supremacists, but people who were upset over the fate of Robert E. Lee's statute.